problem with self-definition

[white camellia]

What about being a person who your fellow people feel strange about or with whom they find hard to get on - how would you feel about that or what would you do about it if any (it is not worth a damn to you or you just would think about it)?

[Scheherazade]

Depends on how you feel about your fellow people in return, I guess.

[Dark Muse]

Personally I rather enjoy being an outcast, I do not really want to get along in society, becasue I do not care about society. I am just me. I do not put on any acts or facades to try and get along with others or pretend I care about things of which I do not. I prefer just to keep to myself as much as possible.

[Pensive]

It depends, really. I will have to think about it if it's really a thing which really bugs other people or if it's just that they are making it up just for the sake of making up something. I mean come on, every next thing is called strange, weird, abnormal and what-not by the people as it brings in my mind the last sentence (vaguely :p) of a Chekhov's short story: Oh The Public! There is no satisfying it! Also a story of a very interesting character Mullah Nasir-uddin:

Once Mullah Nasir-uddin was going with his son somewhere. He was on a donkey while his son was walking. The people looked at him and said, "Wow what a father! The young one is walking in the severe heat and he has no care for his child!"

Mullah felt a bit embarrassed and got his son on the donkey and started to walk himself. Now he met the crowd which said, "See young generation these days! The poor old father is walking in the scorching heat and the son doesn't give a damn!"

Sick of all this Mullah's son gets off the donkey too and both start walking now. And the public response to this is, "See these stupid people. They have got a donkey and yet they are walking!" Annoyed, Mullah decides not to give a damn about people any longer and choose just along with his son what to do regarding it.

I don't think 'not giving a damn about people' should be the attitude and that this story says so, but that whenever the criticism of yourself has crossed the limit/is too stupid, maybe it's the time you ignore people in some matters and stop fearing being criticized/being labelled as an outcast. Oh and sometimes I have noticed people taking being different/indifferent to others as a badge of honour too and start thinking themselves superior than others, in my opinion, that's neither right as well and gives rise to even more separation in the society. What we need is lesser criticism of people and learning to live in harmony without criticizing other people's choices which directly don't even harm us. Hmmm does that make me an idealist?

[blazeofglory]

We all are strangers and seeking identifications and recognizances and yet all will end up with being strangers. We have stayed together in an inn, and the next morning we will take our own separate courses.

[mickitaz]

I know that I am a difficult person to get along with. While I generally don't care what others think, I do care if I hurt someone's feelings. Overall, I am an outcast. I have a moral code that I abide by, which most nowadays think I am old fashioned. But, I feel this makes me reliable. I get told all the time that I am strange, weird, and just outright not "normal". But then again.. define normal.

[white camellia]

How nice for me to know different thoughts on this question. I wanted to be kind to them, but I found it difficult to make it turn out like that - not that I am not, but may appear not or strange to them because of my way of connecting probably. Be an outcast is not fearful and such one must learn to be lonely. And one should live with a priori - 'love' for others despite of their opinions.

And it's more difficult when the bias has already existed as the background information for the people to whom I am unknown.

[blazeofglory]

All I think about myself is I am nothing or do not want to be the type others, society try to classify me. I do not want anyone to stratify me or rationalize me into the type they want me categorically.

I am off the pack, and want to centrifuge, an escapist. Some one uncommon, not belonging to a class.

I do not want any idea to define me or confine or classify.

I am what I am and nothing else. Just I am.